Jon Hamm, Ryan Seacrest And Other Celebrities' Humble Beginnings

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Hitting it big in Hollywood embodies the American dream in genuine rags-to-riches tradition. And while celebrities like Ryan Seacrest, Jon Hamm and Johnny Depp pull in whopping million-dollar paychecks in exchange for being household names today, their humble beginnings put things firmly in perspective.

To wit: Seacrest earned just $10,800 as a radio host; Hamm cashed in $14,350 waiting tables; and Depp made $13,500 selling pens over the telephone. Compare that to today's dizzying numbers: Seacrest at $15 million ("American Idol"), Hamm at $2.1 million ("Mad Men"), and Depp reportedly at a staggering $350 million (okay, for the entire five-part "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise, but still).

Jeremy Renner is used to nailing the tough-guy role in film, and he's just as much of a man's man off-screen. When Renner isn't making a big-budget film alongside stars like Ben Affleck ("The Town"), he's flipping houses -- from renovation to resale.